Living Passionately In His Grace!” Series

1. PASSION… Webster’s defines it as:

• “INTENSITY… OVERMASTERING FEELINGS… CONVICTION.”

• Other words include ZEAL, ENTHUSIASM, & FERVENCY.

Guys, that’s the kind of relationship with Jesus I want.

• Jesus changed my life… and he changed yours.

• He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into His kingdom of light.

• I want a faith that overmasters my flesh, that fills me with conviction and a zeal for the lost.

• One that is enthusiastically living for him, fervently & passionately responding to the call of God thru his Son Jesus.

• So much of that passion & zeal in my life was spent in and on this world. It always led to pain & emptiness.

• But now in Jesus, He can use us for great things in His name!

Galatians 2.20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

WELL A PASSIONATE LIFE invested in the kingdom of God will bring out in others a disdain for you. What?

• Yes, not everyone will be happy that you’re living for Jesus now.

• Family members might not understand you.

• Friends might not like the new you.

• The world might discard you as another one lost.

• False teachers will come, Peter says, to steal you away.

• Mockers will come, Peter writes, to discourage you away.

• But Jesus will not leave you or forsake you… EVER!

Psalm 27.10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.

I. (2:10-12) THE DAY OF THE LORD

1. (10-12) The Day of the Lord is coming.

a. We see, “Day of the Lord” throughout the Scriptures.

b. Flip back to 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3

NOTE: The church was thinking about the future & wondering when all this will take place.

• He taught them about death & dying, about the rapture, and now he begins to encourage them about the Day of the Lord.

• As we will see, the issue is not really WHEN HE COMES but truly how we live UNTIL HE COMES. Jump to v6, v8

SO THEN: What is the Day of the Lord?

• Of all the prophecies in the Bible, there is none so detailed as this thing known as the Day of the Lord.

• It’s used over and over again in the Old Testament.

Isa 2.12 For the day of the LORD of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up--And it shall be brought low--

Joel 2.1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand:

NOTE: It’s not a term filled with a whole lot of joy or hope.

• The Day of the Lord is a painful time, a time of judgment.

• Important to note that the Day of the Lord is not a 24 hour day.

• Rather it’s a period of time. Today, we live in the Day of Grace.

2 Peter 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

• Right now, God is patiently holding back judgment, so that many would be melted by His love and grace and be saved!

Romans 2.4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

But one day, we believe soon, the Day of Grace will and the Day of the Lord will come…

• A time when God will judge the world and punish the nations!

• Let’s flip over to Isaiah 13:6ff

• And so Peter describes it for us here in 3:10-13

• The Day of the Lord will be a period of final destruction and punishment upon the earth. Detail: Rev. 6-19

NOTE: The heavens will pass away with a great noise… elements will melt with fervent heat… the earth burned up.

APP: this world is not our home, we’re just passing through.

• You know that nice brand new car you bought? It’ gonna burn.

• The home? The clothes? The ipod? All going to burn!

Matthew 6.33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

That’s what Peter asks in v11 isn’t it?

• Knowing that Jesus is coming again? Knowing that people apart from faith in Jesus will perish? Knowing that the things of this world will be dissolved & judged and burned up?